Trials of Love
by darkness- lioness
Summary: Angie has to battle evil at every corner to save a loved one, on her way, she meets love in many differnt forms family, friends and romance, can Angie save her loved one, fall in love and save Pirate Swoop all at the same time. (okay but it is good)
1. Default Chapter

**Trials of love **

**Chapter one **

"John stop that, have you seen your sister? She's supposed to be helping Beth." asked Lucus grumpily, as he turned down the pebbled path that led to the barn. John sighed as he replaced the large metal tractor on the ground, which he had been hovering above his head for the last twenty minutes.

"No sorry." John turned to face his brother's outraged face and knew that his sister was in trouble. John followed Lucus down the path towards the barn that he had seen Angie enter two hours before.

"I know where she is" said Lucus angrily as they approached the old rickety barn.

Lucus forcefully opened the large wooden barn door that led into the open area in the middle of the barn and walked inside with furious foot steps. John stood a little back from him, worried for his sister, Lucus hardly ever got angry, but this was one of the few times, Lucus stood for a moment watching his sister, remembering what it was like for him as a young boy to come and sit in this very barn to watch his father practising combat, the way Lucus would always want to practice too and become a powerful worrier, just like his father. Lucus shook his head as he came to his senses.

"What are you doing?" inquired Lucus furiously, Angie stopped in her tracks and looked up at her brother's frustrated and hurt face, immediately she knew she was in trouble and that even though she loved to practice combat just as her mother and father had, it hurt Lucus to see her like this.

"I was just practising" replied Angie immediately.

Lucus look down upon his little sister with tired and disappointed eyes and sighed, "Angie, young ladies should not spend all their time learning combat in a musty old barn, you should be in the kitchen helping Beth."

"No. I should not, I should be off having adventures just like mama and papa always did," replied Angie hotly and threw down her father's sword that she had been wheeling and swiping through the air earlier that day. Then she looked into her brother's worried eyes, "Lucus, you know I want to be a warrior just like mama and papa, why won't you let me? Please Lucus, you know I am good, mama and papa would never have wanted use to waste the gift we have, that we all have," sighed Angie, straining back tears.

"No! Angie," replied Lucus sadly as he saw the eagerness in his sister's eyes that he once had in his own.

"That isn't fair and you know it, you and john are allowed to use your gifts, why can't I use mine?" demanded Angie with tears now streaming down her face, angrily she slammed her way through the barn door and back up to the cottage. Lucus sighed again as he watched the wooden barn door swing back and forth, then with a silent glance at John, they both return to the cottage.

Glazed valley was a pleasant little farming valley; its occupants were a few small farmers and their households. Glazed valley is on the outskirts of Tortall, the largest city in the king's land; it is the home of the palace and its family. King Jonathan the greatest king Tortall has ever seen in a great amount of time and the Queen, whom is so kind and beautiful that many said she is an angel sent to their lands from the gods and goddesses. Tortall is a very rich city, which loves its king and Queen, well almost every body loves the royal family, except for one, an evil wizard called Duke Orephus. He was banished many years ago by King Jonathan's father, King Roald, for trying to kill Jonathan when he was a young lad. Duke Orephus was King Roald's cousin and next in the line of the throne until Jonathan was born which meant that Duke Orephus would never be king, so to make sure he would be king, Duke Orephus tried to kill Jonathan, but his plan to kill Prince Jonathan was foiled by the King spy warriors, Andrew Kirkland and his wife Sarah, and so King Roald banished Duke Orephus to the dark realms, where only those who are truly evil can be banished to. And now 11 years later, that is where he remains to this very day, plotting to rise up and take the throne.

Back in the beautiful paradise of Glazed valley the Kirkland home was very quite; this was a rare thing as the family were always at work.

"You have to stop this nonsense Angie you are a young lady and have to start acting like one," said Lucus, as he sat down on the edge of the rocking chair his wife was sat on, looking up into the angry eyes of his sister beautiful face.

"Beth needs more help around the house, she can't manage anymore she is near the end of the birthing stages, she needs help!" sighed Lucus as he took Beth's hand proudly and looked into Beth's bright green eyes; Angie rolled her own brown eyes. Lucus returned his gaze toward his sister, "Please Angie you have to stop this it is getting ridiculous" pleaded Lucus,

"No it's not, mama and papa were worriers and I want to be one too, it's my destiny, I have the gift, why can't I use mine? You and John can, it's not fair!" exclaimed Angie angrily as she stared into her brother's pleading eyes.

Lucus looked into his sister's eyes and saw what he feared, himself, he saw the passion in her eyes that he once had, before his parents where killed. He sighed; he new that he could no longer stop Angie from doing as she wished to do and what she was meant to do, he looked away from Angie's gaze and into the eyes of his wife and he knew exactly what she was thinking. Lucus sighed and returned his gaze to his sister's furious eyes.

"Darling, you know you can't stop her from using her gift it is apart of her, just as your healing gift is apart of you and John's sorcery gift is a part of him; the warrior gift is apart of Angie, you know if she does not train it, it will one day control her." She placed her hand on her husbands, "Darling?" said Beth with a look in her eyes that made Lucus know she was right.

"Ok I give up, you can keep on practising, I know it would be what mama and papa would have wanted and I know it is your destiny and I can't stop it" sighed Lucus as he looked into his sisters ecstatic eyes and knew he had done the right thing. But why did he wish he had not said that? Angie leaped of the chair she was sat on and flung her self at her brother, knocking them both to the ground.

"Thank- you, thank-you Lucus I won't let you down I promise, I just want to make you, mama and papa proud, thank-you" exclaimed Angie between the breaths, she was panting with excitement. Angie let go of her brother and pulled herself off the ground, then danced her way up the stairs to her room.

"Are you sure I have done the right thing Beth?" asked Lucus, from the ground he was still sat on, but knowing what the answer would be.

"Yes of course you have darling, I have never known you not to make the correct decision and you know she will be a great warrior, just like your parents were," replied Beth comforting her husband.

That night as Lucus laid awake in bed he thought about things and even though Lucus knew he had done the right thing, he had a nagging feeling that something was going to go horrible wrong, You're just being paranoid he told himself pushing the nagging feeling to the back of his mind and falling a sleep.

At the very same time the lights of Glazed Valley were going out, and spirits were coming alive in the dark realms.

"Go and bring me that boy, NOW!" shouted Duke Orephus angrily; throwing a bolt of magic at his minions as they scampered off in fear to get the boy Duke Orephus has seen in the goblet. Panting from being weakened by the magic he had used, when he had been banished, his magic had been absorbed by the gods, but Duke Orephus had been able to get a piece of his magic back from them.

He turned to face the large goblet full of blood, the blood he had taken from himself earlier that evening; the goblet had the innocent face of a young boy of the age about 10 or 11. Duke Orephus looked into the eyes of the boy and started to laugh uncontrollably, then his face changed and he swiped at the face that lay on the surface of the blood, "This boy, you send this boy to defeat me?" Duke Orephus asked the gods, "You send a pitiful little boy to do what a god cannot?" he started to laugh again. "He will not defeat me if he is dead," he shouted to the heavens.

Morning came as usual in Glazed Valley; the Kirkland family woke as normal, not knowing that in a few minutes one of them would discover the horrifying truth of what had happened throughout the night as they slept in their beds.

Screams! Echoed throughout the cottage, Beth stood in John's bedroom looking at the devastating picture before her; the room was in ruins, blankets torn to pieces and John's toys and gadgets scattered all over the hard wooden floor, Beth stood in horror at the sight in front of her. Thunder echoed through the corridor as Lucus came thundering down the corridor, the screams had woken Angie out of a weird dream; she peeled the covers back and climbed out of bed into a freezing cold room, to see what all the noise was for and to yell at the one making all the noise. Angie was not a pleasant person when she was woken, she had a short temper. As she stumbled to the door to see what was going on, and Lucus passed her in a hurry. Angie popped her head around the corner of the wooden frame of the door, what was going on? She followed him sleepily down the corridor in her cotton night gown towards John's room to see what all the commotion was about.

"What's happened? What's the matter?" panted Lucus as he reached Beth, who was standing in a trance in the doorway of John's room, looking from the pall face of his usually bright and happy wife to the horrifying sense of John's usually tidy room to the mess that laid in front of him.

"What is going on? Who is making all the noise?" moaned Angie as she rubbed her sore eyes to wake herself up, and then looked up at her brother and Beth to see the horrified expressions on their faces. She directed her eyes to what had ensnared them both. Bewildered Angie edged slowly into the room stepping over John's toys and cloths that lay erect on the wooden floor, looking around her wide eyes filled with tears, what had happened?

"John" whispered Angie, where was he? But deep down Angie knew that she would not get an answer, "John." Again she said his name not expecting an answer, as she dug though his clothes and searched the room. "John. John. JOHN!" she let a frantic scream out though her lips, pulling the clothes off the floor and throwing them into the air. Collapsing to the floor in tears, she wept into John's cloths, looking up at her brother's pale face and then at the tear soaked face of Beth. Tears streamed down Angie's face, soaking her night gown and the clothes she clutched in her hands, "Why John, he's just a boy, why would anyone what to kidnap a boy, why?" not being able to control herself she wept once more, but it was more of a angry weeping.

That night the land was quiet, the Kirkland family sat down to dinner in silence, no one could bare to eat the food they were given, anger ran throughout Angie. She looked up at her brother and Beth's saddened eyes as they sipped their soup, slamming down her juice cup, Lucus and Beth looked in her direction to see were the loud noise came from," We must do something, we must go looking for him, we must Lucus," pleaded Angie, as she forced back the tears that were once again making there way to the surface.

Locus shook his head shadily, "We cannot. Beth is near the end of her birthing stages, I cannot leave, anyway were would we start to look?"

"Then let me go, I will bring him back, please Lucus" pleaded Angie, looking into the eyes of her brother.

"You can't you are not fully in control of your gift yet, you are to young" replied Lucus.

Angie slammed her fists on the table, pushing back her chair, which fell to the floor with a crash and stood glaring at her brother with detest, for the first time she hated him and knew that she would not win this time.

Storming out of the room Angie ran out the entrance door of the cottage and did not stop running until she hit the edge of the fencing to the brook, hitting and kicking the fence furiously with bare fists, which caused them to bleed. She wept and fell to the ground, "WHY?" she screamed to heaven, she screamed to the gods and goddess,

"WHY WOULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN, WHY?" pounding her fists on the ground with every word she said, she wept uncontrollably know trying to block out the world that surrounded her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two **

Angie woke with an excited and devious look in her eyes and a grin on her lips, she had a way to get her brother back. Angie flung the covers off her body and quietly climbed out of her bed and silently got dressed, trying not to wake her brother and his wife in the next room.

"Nat, get up you lazy, get up" yelled Angie up at the half open window of her best mate Nat's rooms,

Smack a pebble hit the window, smack another followed by bellows from below,

Thud a peddle hit Nat square in the middle of the head as he opened the window to see what all the noise was about,

"Ouch!" screeched Nat in pain.

"What's going on down there?" an irritated Nat bellowed down to the dark figure of Angie swaying in the darkness beneath him,

"Come on Nat we have a mission, lets go" replied Angie to Nat's irritated voice.

"What mission Angie it's to early, go way" replied Nat sleepily as he slowly retreated into him room, smack another peddle walloped the window.

"You get down here right now Nat or do I have to come up there and get you?" screeched Angie with fury; Nat reappeared at the window with a look of worry and terror on his face,

"Okay I give in I'll be down in a minute, but you promise to tell me what's going on okay" replied Nat drowsily.

"Okay I promise, but hurry up and don't make any noise" replied Angie to reassure Nat.

Ten minutes later Nat strolled out through a door that lead out to the side of the large cottage. Nat flashed Angie a dazzling smile that always made Angie's knees go weak. Nat stood a foot taller than Angie, with dark black floppy hair that hung over one of his deep blue eyes and with a slight build. Nat was very handsome.

_Wow! I always forget how great he looks in the morning_ Angie thought to her self,

"Come on lets go before someone realizes we're gone" Angie said recovering from Nat's smile. Angie quickly strolled ahead, down a rough track that lead out of Glazed Valley. Nat followed a little dazed. "Okay, but where are we going Angie? I mean this better be one great mission, you woke me up when I was having a great dream" yawned Nat as he rubbed his still tired eyes.

"Oh I'm so sorry did I disturb your beauty sleep? Not that it would help" said Angie mockingly, Angie loved to tease Nat.

"Hay that not funny!" exclaimed Nat as he flashed Angie a withering stare.

Angie struggled a smile to her lips, but Nat could tell by her eyes which were normally excited and daring, were now sad and worried. Nat stopped suddenly and placed a hand on Angie's arm forcing her to stop in her tracks. Angie faced Nat with sad eyes.

"What's happened Angie?" Nat asked seriously looking worried now.

Angie would have normally felt a happy tingle when Nat touched her, but now all she felt was sadness for her brother, she looked up into Nat's worried eyes and felt tears well up in her eyes, as she pushed them back, look returned Nat'.

"John is missing, he was taken the night before yesterday, that's the mission I am going to find him and bring him home" replied Angie now fighting to control herself, desperately she wanted to do was to beery her head in Nat's chest and cry until she could not cry anymore, but she knew that that would not help anyone.

As Nat processed what Angie said, Angie could see his deep eyes turn from happy to sad to worried. Nat looked down at Angie.

"Angie you can't do this alone, I mean what has Lucus said about all of this? Asked Nat, wondering why anyone would have kidnapped John, he was always such a good sweet boy; Nat couldn't understand why anyone would want to take him.

Fury rose in Angie as she heard her older brother name "Lucus is not doing anything, he is just sat at home doing nothing!" yelled Angie with anger, she immediately felt sorry for yelling at Nat it was not his fault Lucus wasn't doing anything and she knew that Nat was the only one who would help her, she needed him.

She turned away from him feeling guilty "I'm sorry Nat I didn't mean to yell at you I just so worried about John and so angry with Lucus for doing nothing. He said he couldn't go because Beth is near the end of her birthing stages, I just can't believe he is not doing anything" now Angie realized that the tears that had been welling up were now rolling down her checks.

_God! How many times am I going to bawl, stop it Angie you are a warrior spy STOP CRYING right NOW! _Angie thought to herself angrily.

Nat placed his strong arms around her, pulling her into a hug. "It'll be okay Angie I will be there with you all the way I promise" whispered Nat into her ear as he clutched her. Angie recovered herself and pulled away from him to look up to the eyes of the man she loved.

"Thank-you Nat I really do need to find him and I couldn't do it with out you" said Angie though sobs. She whipped her checks to clear away the tears that had soaked her face and Nat's shirt.

"Come on then we better get going" said Angie as she ventured on leaving Nat standing were he was, Angie turned back to see if he was coming, Nat looked bewildered

"are you coming or not?" asked Angie though a laugh, she couldn't help but laugh at him he looked so funny standing there with a bewildered look on his face and a tear soaked shirt.

As he recovered he started to walk again "yer! Sure I am, what you think that I am going to let you get all the credit when we rescue John, I don't think so, come on short stop," he strolled on in front of Angie.

Later that morning. when they got to the edge of Glazed Valley. Angie stood for a moment looking back at her quite home village and realized that from now on nothing was going to be the same and that the world was going to be much different from the quite little village were she had spent her inter life. Taking one last glance at her home, she turned and headed up the road that lead straight to Tortall.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** in this chapter I have used George Copper and the cit of Tortall, which I have placed into my story, however there origin of these character and city is the Tamora Pierce books.

**Chapter three**

Angie could not believe her own eyes, as she staggered though the humongous city of Tortall, she could not help but stare at the colours, which were so bright that they shone throughout the city, building that stood taller than the oldest oak trees.

Walking side by side with Nat, Angie couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the amount of people that filled the city of Tortall, she had never seen so many people in her entire life, people surround stall, yelling greetings to other people who past.

"Make sure you watch your purse, Angie" warned Nat as they passed a small shop, which was surrounded by large men with grim looking faces.

Angie clutched her purse and gripped Nat's arm, not wanting to be lost among the strange city folk.

As a strange pair in country clothes staggered towards the large metal gate, that lead to the entrance of the palace, two large men at arms that guarded the gate, looked the two country folk over, trying to sum them up.

"Halt, who goes there?" yelled the larger of the man at arms that stood atop the large wall that counselled the palace. His uniform bright with Tortall colours and a spear in one hand. He looked like a furious giant.

"We need to see King Jonathan right away, please" inquired the smaller of the figures. Angie could only just master the strength to ask the guard to see the King; she was still recovering from the trip through the city. Laughter echoed in Angie's ears as the large men laughed.

"You can not see the King" laughed the smaller of the men at arms.

Angie could fell the frustration growing within her, as the two men continued to laugh. Anger consumed Angie. "It is important, we need to speak to the King, it is a matter of life or death" replied Nat, holding on to Angie as she became irritated.

"The answer is still No!" replied the larger man, who had stopped laughing and was now getting board of the two strangers. He started to turn from them, when a sudden shriek of rage blasted from below "LISTEN YOU IGNORAMUS, THIS MAYBE TOO MUCH FOR A MAN OF YOUR MINIMAL INTELLEGENCE TO UNDERSTAND, WE HAVE TRAVELLED ALL THE WAY FROM GLAZED VALLERY AND WE NEED TO SEE THE KING NOW!

The large furious man turned ready to respond at having is intelligence questioned and as he turned he looked down at the small figure that had shrieked at him, a disturbed look crossed his face as he looked into the face of a young women, he amused her age of 17 year, he saw anger in her eyes and fear consume her face, but he could see that it was not him who she feared,

_What could it be_, though the large man.

He continued to look at the beautiful face of the young women, then sadness ran though him, he could not let them in, "I am sorry you still can not see the king, we are under orders, but if it is a bed you need then you should visit the Dancing Dove, it's an inn in the city." Said the man in a friendly, but stern tone that made Angie realize, they would have to come up with a different way to get to the King. Angie tugged Nat's arm, to make him follow her down the path that lead back to the city.

"We should find the inn that he was talking about we need rest and nourishment, well I know I do" said Nat as they strolled back down the path to the city. Nat looked at Angie's motionless face and new that she was thinking things over, planning.

"Angie are you listening" he asked knowing the answer.

"Uh… yer okay lets find the inn" replied Angie in a distant way. They journeyed down the path back into the city.

"We have to find a way into the palace to see the king, we have to" exclaimed Angie as she replaced her hot mug to the wooden table.

Angie and Nat were sat at a corner table inside the Dancing Dove. They were surrounded by people who were discussing the King affairs and the talk in the city.

"Okay" yawned Nat as he sipped hot cider from a mug, Angie looked at Nat's tired face and felt a twang of pain at the though of her family. After consuming there cider they headed for their separate room to rest.

Back in the little village of Glazed Valley, Lucas had just returned from the village meeting. Beth greeted him with a kiss that made him remember why he loved her so much.

"So what happened?" inquired Beth as her husband slumped into a chair, Lucus's sad and worried face looked up into the worried face of his wife.

"There is nothing that can be done to find them, it is farming session and everyone is needed" replied Lucus as he placed his head in his hands.

"She'll be okay, she is a strong girl Lucus" said Beth trying to comfort her husband.

"I can't believe she did this, I just don't understand what was going through her head when she leaf" said Lucus. He felt a gentle hand being place under his chin, lifting his head; he looked into the eyes of his wife.

"You know what was going through her mind; it was the same as what was going through your mind. Lucus, Angie has lost her parents and now her brother has been kidnapped, she just wants to bring him back safe, just as you do. Lucus she will find him I have faith in her, she has power that you or I cannot comprehend" Beth held Lucus's hand waiting for him to reply.

"I have faith too, I just hope that, that faith is not shattered" replied Lucus squeezing a smile from his lips.

"Nat, wake up" yelled Angie as she banged rapidly on the door that separated their rooms. Nat appeared at the door dresses and wide awake.

"Yes, Angie what can I do for you?" asked Nat in his cocky tone that always made Angie giggle,

"God look at you… did you not get enough beauty sleep?" giggled Angie, glancing up at Nat she saw he was pocking his tongue out at her. They stood for a moment laughing.

"Okay come on I'm hungry" said Nat as he strolled down the stairs to the common room.

As they sat at the same table they had the previous night, they ate a delicious breakfast that was prepared by the inns cook, as she ate Angie looked around the room at the other people eating their breakfast, she noticed that there was all sorts of people in today, a small group of people seated in the opposite corner to them, where not eating but talking quietly amongst themselves, this small group captured her attention, as she watched them she noticed that the five people were directing there attention to one man, who was seat at the centre of the table. Straining to hear what they were saying, Angie slipped from her chair creating a large clatter that attracted the attention of the entire room. The inn keeper Solom rushed forward to help lift Angie from the ground " are you okay miss Angie Kirkland?" asked Solom in a worried tone, for all the old man was very friendly. As Angie gathered her self she smiled up at him and replied "yes I just lost my balance sorry." As Angie replaced herself on her seat and Solom rushed of to gather a mop to clear the mess.

"excuse me did you say your name was Kirkland?" asked a voice that was next to Angie, Angie looked up into the face of a man, who would have been good looking not for a abnormally large nose, however he was very handsome. He stood looking down on Angie waiting for a reply

"Yes that's my second name" now looking into the green eyes of the man.

"Are you related to Andrew and Sarah Kirkland?" ask the man, Angie looked down at the table fighting back tears at hearing her parent's names.

"They were my parents" replied Angie, still fight tears. As she looked back up at the man, she noticed he was now smiling at her. "May I sit down" he ask gesturing to an empty seat next to Nat. "yes, please" said Nat gesturing to the seat. The man sat down still looking at Angie with searching eyes.

"Then you must be Angie?" asked the man eagerly. Angie looked up at the handsome man wondering who he was and how he knew her parents and her name. The man noticed the look on her face and quickly resumed talking "where are my manners, I am George Copper, Barron of Pirate Swoop" George introduced himself, Angie suddenly looked up at the man with an expression that startled Nat.

"Your George Copper?" stammered Angie with tears now gathering behind her eyes. She remembered her parent always talked of a George Copper; George had been her father's best friend before they had died. This man was her God father.

"Yes I am, do you know who I am Angie?" asked George with a smile that made Angie's stomach do a double flips. "All I know is that you and my father were best friends before…. (Now tears trickled down her face) they died" said Angie as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. George handed her a handkerchief, "yes is there anything else that you know Angie?" asked George as Angie dabbed her face with handkerchief.

"You're my God Father" replied Angie looking into the mans face. He smiled "yes I am,"

While the two had their conversation Nat sat there in silence trying to take in what was happening, this man was Angie's God father, but where had her been when her parents died.

"If you are her God father where were you when her parents died?" inquired Nat, both George and Angie turned to face the other person that was sat with them, having forgotten he was there. George looked at the steady eyes of the boy next to him, Nat shifted feeling Georges eyes on him made him uncomfortable.

After a moment George answered "when Andrew died, I wanted Lucus, Angie and John to come and live at Pirate Swoop with my family, but when the King and use others that wanted to have you all live with use, decided that it would be best from you all to stay under the care of Lucus in the life you already had, it was safer for you. And so that is the reason why young man that Angie is not living at Pirate Swoop. George looked at the young man and saw something in the boy that he had love, this young man obvious loved Angie. Smiling George held out a hand to the young man, they shook hands and Nat introduced himself "well then Nat of Glazed Valley, what are you and my God daughter doing here in Tortall?" asked George.


End file.
